


Snippets of Parenthood

by JunieBug



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: F/M, Multi, Other, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-24
Updated: 2016-05-08
Packaged: 2018-05-28 20:59:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6344956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JunieBug/pseuds/JunieBug
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little moments and looks into Frank and Laurel being parents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Frank wasn’t the type to get angry too quickly. Sure, he’s done some shady things in his life but he prided himself in controlling his emotions.

But driving down to Jefferson Elementary school after the call he just got makes that extremely hard to do. 

The call lasted less than a minute and once he heard the words “daughter” and “got hurt.” He was out of the office and on the way within seconds. 

He halted the car in an empty parking spot and ran inside to the main office. He looked over at the secretary and she motioned towards the principal’s office.

Sitting on the bench outside of the office, her tiny legs dangling, was his daughter. He kneeled down infront of her and the second she looked up at him every part of him was electrified again with anger. 

Because on her perfect little face was the biggest bruise he’d ever seen. 

Just then the principal walked out of his office and Frank looked at him, murder in his eyes. “What happened?!” He was on the verge of yelling but he tried to calm himself. “Maybe we should wait until Mrs. Delfino is here, sir.” 

Laurel. She was on the way, the courthouse she was currently at wasn’t too far from the school. But if Frank knew anything it was to get ahead of the situation before Laurel because if he was angry, he couldn’t even imagine what Laurel would do. 

She’d probably tear up the poor principal in front of the whole office, threaten to sue his ass and the school, even before getting the story. 

“No, I need to know now. Who did this to her?” Frank firmly demanded and looked back down at Sophia. She kept her head down and continued to just kick her feet. 

Frank turned back to the principal and before the man could speak, the familiar click of heels hot against the school’s tiled floors made it’s way into the office. 

Laurel doesn’t hesitate, makes her way to Sophia, and squats down to look at her daughter and she too reacts the same way Frank did once she sees the bruise. “What the hell happened to her face?” 

She stands back up and walks up towards the principal. “Mrs. Delfin-” But she cuts him off. “Castillo, it’s Castillo. Who did that to her?” A short pause and then, “Because when I find out, I’m suing that family. And this school, we pay good money to send both of our kids here and from either of them to be getting hurt is ridiculous.” 

She’s in fight mode, probably still from just being in the courthouse. But it’s a state that would scare anybody and it sure seems to terrify the school principal. But the man toughs up, squaring his shoulders before addressing the both of them. “She won’t tell us. Her teacher found her like this and when we asked her who did it, she wouldn’t say.”

Frank made eye contact with Laurel, the two of them sharing a look only to be described as pure confusion. “We called you both here to see if she’d tell you.” 

They both turned their attention back at the little girl. Laurel sat down next to her on the bench while Frank got down on one knee to be at face level with her. 

Laurel went first, her voice soft and gentle. “Hey baby girl, what happened? Who did this?” But Sophia doesn’t budge. So Frank tried. “Wanna just tell me and your ma? We don’t have to tell the school.” 

Her little crystal blue eyes trailed from him, to Laurel, and then to the principal. “No one did it daddy.” 

Frank looks over at Laurel, another shared look. If there was anything Frank and Laurel could tell from their kids it was when they were lying to them. And Sophia, little 6-year-old Sophia, was lying straight through her teeth. 

“Are you sure? How’d you get that bruise then?” Laurel asks, taking Sophia’s chin and tilting it up towards her. She angles her face and from where Frank is kneeling it looks even worse. 

“I fell, mommy.” Another lie. Frank looks over to the principal and the guy just shrugs. “Well, if Sophia decides to tell us, we will act accordingly.” The man makes his way back into his office and leaves them to tend to their daughter. 

“Honey, you won’t get in trouble.” Laurel continues to try and coax the truth out as Frank signs her out of school for the day. “I’m not lyin’ mommy! I fell!” 

She’s insistent and maybe she’s telling the truth- after all she is 6 and Sophia can be rough when she plays so a bruise could be likely. 

Frank picks up his daughter and sits her on his hip. The purple-ish, green bruise looks like a monster on her face but they both let it go, taking Sophia home.

–

“Carter! Come back!” Sophia runs past him as she chases down Carter Gibbins, heading towards the swings. 

Frank hangs back with Laurel, Wes and his wife are a few paces behind them with a stroller. They do this play date thing every once in awhile, usually with the rest of the old Keating 5 and their kids too but today it was just them. 

Frank looks over to the swings where the kids are and sees Luca, their 8 year old son, helping Sophia onto the seat of the swing. 

If there was anyone more annoyed by Sophia’s bruise it was Luca, maybe more like furious. Luca protected his sister from everything and Frank had to talk him down from trying to find out what truly happened. 

Even at 8 years old, Luca was a firecracker, ready to fight at any time for the people he loved. Annalise joked and said that his son was just like him which was something Frank was terrified of. 

Laurel links her arm through his, bringing him back to where they were. “I’m glad they like each other.” She motions towards the kids and smiles up at him. “My brothers hated me.” 

Frank doesn’t say anything, instead he watches Luca push the swing that Sophia is in and smiles. Sophia looks up to her big brother just as much as Luca adores her and it’s something Frank doesn’t take for granted.

–

It’s about a week later when he gets another phone call from the school and he’s down there within minutes. This time though, it’s the nurse’s office. Laurel is already there with Sophia sitting on her lap and a bunch of tissues up against her face. 

It doesn’t take Frank that long to figure out that she’s got a bloody nose. Her teacher and the principal are in the room as well. “This definitely means there’s someone bullying her but we didn’t see who had done it Mrs. Castillo.” 

The principal sounds defeated like in the 3 minutes that Laurel’s been here longer than Frank, she’s already chewed him up and spit him out. 

Frank leans forward and looks at Sophia- besides the bloody nose is a scratched up face like someone face planted her into the concrete playground outside. 

She isn’t crying though, barely even moving. The nurse hands Laurel more tissues and Frank helps her change out the old bloody ones for new, clean ones. 

“Sophia and Carter Gibbins play on the other end of the playground where I can’t see them. She walked over to me like this right before recess ended.” Her teacher tries to explain and all Frank does is smooth his hand over Laurel’s thigh, trying to calm the storm he can see building in her. 

“I want to know who did this to her. She’s getting bullied and hurt.” Laurel says through gritted teeth. 

There’s no argument at all, the principal only whispers something to the teacher and once it’s settled that they’ll be extra vigilant tomorrow, they get ready to go. 

Sophia’s nose has stopped bleeding and after the nurse puts some antiseptic on her scratches, they’re free to go. 

As they head out, Frank has Sophia in his arms and looks over to Laurel. They’re both frustrated beyond words at what’s happening and Sophia isn’t cooperating at all with them. “If you tell me who did this you can have extra dessert tonight.” Frank tries to bribe her.

“I just fell again daddy.” 

They reach the car and Frank places her inside, but she’s still facing him and they’re almost at eye level now. Laurel hovers closely behind them, arms crossed. “Sophia Francesca, don’t lie to me and mommy. Someone pushed you and we want to know who, now.” His voice is strict and all he gets is a pout from her. 

“Was it Carter? Did he push you?” At that Sophia’s face scrunches up. “No! Daddy, Carter is my bestest friend! He didn’t push me!” 

“Then who did, young lady?” It sounds like a warning more than a question. But Sophia crosses her arms and pouts again, mum on the subject. He hears Laurel sigh behind him and her hand rubs his back as she leans into him. 

“Just take her home, I’ll meet you there.” He turns to face her, taking her face into his hands, smoothing her cheek with his thumb. Laurel wraps her arms around his waist and leans forward, kissing him slowly and then pulling away. He leans in again for another kiss but then hears, “Yucky!” from behind him and smiles. 

He let’s go of Laurel and turns back to the car. “Alright, yucky, get in your car seat. We’ll deal with this at home.” Sophia climbs up into her seat and he closes the door. Laurel gives him a quick peck on the cheek before they both head off. 

–

Frank loops the car around the elementary school pick up area and sets the car in park. He and Laurel have a clear view of the playground in front of them from where they sit. 

The two of them decided to scope out what’s happening for themselves, and since Laurel has a day off, it was perfect. It almost felt like old times, just sitting in his car and doing a little stake out. But it’s definitely different now- neither of them distracted by each other, all their focus on what they’re doing. 

“Look, she’s over there with Carter.” Laurel points out the tiny little girl, her pigtails bobbing along as she shakes her head while she talks. The two little kids are sitting down, using chalk to draw on the concrete. 

It’s peaceful for a few minutes and Frank almost relaxes, almost. That is until another kid walks over to them, probably about Luca’s age. He’s got his friends along with him and he definitely fits the bully profile. 

The kid talks to them for a few seconds before he picks Carter up by the shirt. It looks like the bully is going to do something, maybe hit him or something, but Sophia is standing up. Her hands on her hips and he can tell she’s mouthing off.

Laurel’s scrambling out of the car though and Frank follows suit. The bully’s attention now on Sophia and Carter is all but forgotten. 

As Frank and Laurel approach the gate, they can hear Sophia’s squeaky voice as she tells this older boy off. 

Laurel’s fiddling with the opening of the gate when the bully suddenly pushes Sophia’s shoulders, causing her to fall backwards and land on her butt. “Hey! Kid!” Frank’s voice is louder than he intended but it gets the attention of the kids. 

The bully and his friends ran off just as Laurel gets the door open. Frank rushes in, Laurel right behind him, and they both reach Sophia. 

“Honey, are you okay?” Laurel picks Sophia up and squeezes her tightly. “I’m okay mommy.” She lets go and holds her out in front of her to look at her, Frank takes her in too. She isn’t hurt, not even a scratch.

“Is that the kid that’s been bullying you all this time?” Frank asks, looking over at Carter, he’s awkwardly standing close by but very quiet. 

“He bullies Carter, daddy. And he’s my bestest friend so I protect him. It’s okay if I get hurt sometimes.” Sophia explains it so calmly. 

Frank almost laughs. Of course, both he and Laurel taught their kids to stick up for what’s right, to make sure that everyone is treated fair and for Sophia to be the one taking the hits for Gibbins’ kid just make complete sense. 

“Oh, Soph, it’s okay to stick up for your friends but sometimes honey, you gotta tell the teachers or someone if they’re bullying you, okay? Promise?” Laurel holds out her pinky and Sophia takes it with hers, making a tiny pact. 

“Sorry mommy, I just didn’t want Carter to be sad.” Frank watches as Laurel tucks a stray strand of Sophia’s hair back. “It’s okay baby, come on let’s go tell the teacher. You too, Carter.”

Frank helps Laurel back up and lets the kids lead the way to where their teacher is. He wraps his arm around her shoulder and squeezes. “Now don’t have any goons going after that kid ‘kay?” Laurel says, laughing. 

Frank shakes his head but he can’t deny that he was trying to find out where the bully went. He focuses back on Sophia and how she walks almost shoulder to shoulder with Carter as they make their way to the teacher. 

“What is it with you Castillo women and protecting people? Especially a Gibbins?” Frank can see every part of Laurel in Sophia and it melts his heart. 

“Dunno, maybe that one will end up with one.” Frank shakes his head at her but she just laughs. They round the corner of the building and spot the teachers on the other side. 

“At least we did good, she’s a pretty good kid.” Frank muses. Sophia and Luca were both turning out to be pretty great kids already, call it good genes or something. 

“Yeah, we did,” She pauses and slows the pace of their walking. Sophia and Carter have already made their way to the group of teachers huddled together under the shadow of the building. “Let’s have more.” 

Frank chuckles but when he notices how serious Laurel looks he holds it back. “What?”

“Yeah, let’s have another one, please.” She squeezes his forearm and does a little jumping motion. “‘Kay, babe you don’t need to convince me.” 

Laurel gets on her tippy toes and kisses him, soft and sweet, before they continue to walk again. “We’ll be outnumbered, but I think we can handle it.” 

Frank smirks. He can already picture how excited the kids, especially Sophia, will be to have a new baby brother or sister. Laurel getting bigger every day and Frank just spoiling her like the first two times. It just feels right. 

And sure they’ll be outnumbered by kids but he wouldn’t have it any other way, especially if they’re with Laurel.

 


	2. Nepenthes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nepenthes: (n.) something that can make you forget grief and suffering. 
> 
> Laurel has a tough day at work but she finds love and light with her little family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little quick Mother's Day snippet for the series.

Laurel doesn’t have cases like this often.

Sure, she works in a firm that tends to get a lot of family cases--they just seem to follow her--but the case this week has been especially difficult. 

A mother accused of killing her two young daughters. Laurel was representing the father. The poor man was a wreck and well, so was Laurel.

A week before she took on the case she, Frank, and the kids had just celebrated finding out that they were adding another little girl to the family. Baby number 3 was long awaited and Laurel was surprised at how easy it was for her heart to grow again to make room for the little human that hadn’t even made an appearance to the world yet. 

But now she’s here at court. It’s the last session of the day and deliberations were happening tonight--the verdict to be read out tomorrow.

It’s the autopsy report of the girls. She’s questioning the medical examiner and as soon as the doctor mentions how the girls were killed, Laurel unconsciously clutches her extended belly.

“Thank you. Nothing further your honor.” She stutters on the words before sitting back down.

She turned to look at the father, her client. She can tell that he’s trying to hold back his tears. Laurel reaches over and rubs his arm, trying to comfort the poor man.

This week sucked.

 --

Laurel trudges into the house, the door clicks closed behind her. She walks into the kitchen where Frank greets her with the biggest smile.

“Hey, how was it?” Frank places a plate in the sink and makes his way over to her, kissing her forehead. She wraps her arms around him, placing her cheek on his chest, and sighs. 

She doesn’t talk. She can barely keep her eyes open.

Frank just rubs her back and doesn’t pry.

They do this. When she’s had a hard day or a hard case, they just stand and hold each other, not talking. Their breathing soon syncs up, it’s as if they’ve become one person.

They’re quiet for another second and then, 

“He lost both of them. They were 5 and 3 years old, Frank.” 

She sniffs and he holds her a little tighter. Laurel hasn’t shown any emotions this whole week for the sake of her client. She’s tried to hold it in but now there’s nothing left to hold in.

The sounds of tiny feet stomping down the stairs interrupts them and Laurel and Frank pull apart just in time.  
Sophia collides with Laurel’s legs and hugs them tightly and Luca gives her a side hug. “Mommy! Do you want to play with us? We’re playing princess and pirates and Luc-”  

“Sophia, honey, not now. Mommy is really tired and has had a hard day today okay?” Frank chimes in. “Lau, why don’t you go upstairs? I’ll bring you up some dinner.”

Laurel doesn’t protest and instead kisses Sophia and Luca before turning to kiss Frank.

\--

She’s been laying in bed for a while. Frank said 10 minutes but Laurel knows it’s been a good 30 minutes.

She’s just about to call him or text him and tell him how hungry she and baby number 3 are when the door opens. 

Frank enters first with the tray of food. Pasta, of course, with garlic bread and a little dandelion in a small vase. 

Laurel sits up, smiling and surprised. 

Behind Frank are Sophia and Luca, grinning from ear to ear. Sophia hands Laurel a card and then climbs into the bed next to her. Luca jumps up into the bed too and hands her another card too.

  
“What is all of this?” Laurel turns over the handmade card and reads it. Sophia’s says “Best momy ever!” with what seems like hundreds of little hearts drawn all over. Luca’s card has a drawn picture of what looks like Laurel, pregnant and yelling in a courtroom. The inside says, “Yells at the bad people and frees the good people. Love you mommy.”

Laurel chuckles and looks over to Frank. “They wanted to make you something special.” He puts the tray down on the nightstand and settles next to her in the bed too. 

Everyone shuffles around and is soon comfortable. Sophia is tucked under Laurel’s arm and Luca is leaning in right next to them. Frank’s arm is wrapped around Laurel and she’s content.

She squeezes Sophia a little tighter than usual and looks up at Frank.  
  
“I know. It’s okay, they’re not going anywhere.” He kisses her, soft and gentle, taking his time so she knows how much he loves her.

“EWWWW!” The two little kids giggle as Laurel pulls away from Frank.

Laurel turns her attention back to the kids who are laughing non-stop and begins to tickle them. “What’s so funny, huh?” And soon Frank joins in, two against two, the kids rolling around trying to fight them off. 

Laurel eventually has to let Frank take over and watches as he kneels on the bed and swings Sophia over his shoulders. Luca tries to help her but Frank is too fast for him.

The room fills with laughter and screaming kids and Laurel just watches her family. Perfect and intact and she knows that she’s never gonna lose them.


End file.
